Scholarships, grants and fellowships for Burkinabè applicants 2027

Applicants from Burkina Faso can apply for scholarships, fellowships, grants, competitions and training programmes in Africa, Europe, North America and Asia. The listed deadlines run from 10 September 2026 to 1 December 2026, so prepare documents early and confirm every condition on the official page before submitting.

Key facts

• ARES International Training Scholarships – Belgium Study Funding accepts applicants from Burkina Faso and can cover tuition, living support, international travel and insurance, depending on the selected study route.
• UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme is open to Burkinabè applicants for master’s and PhD research in Japan, with a grant of up to USD 10,000 for approved research-stay costs.
• UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowship is a six-month, fully funded fellowship for African biosphere-reserve professionals aged no more than 40 with at least one year of experience.
• CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity is a fully funded, remote fellowship for African women in cybersecurity who speak English, reside in Africa and have at least three years of experience.
• Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship funds a 24-month master’s programme in Netherlands, including tuition, living costs, travel, visa costs and health insurance.
• Mastercard Foundation PhD Scholarship at University of Toronto and Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship offer full financial support for eligible African health and medicine PhD applicants studying in Canada.
• UNU-MERIT Migration Management Diploma Training Programme covers flights, accommodation, visa fees, meals, daily expenses, health insurance and field trips for eligible African professionals.
• TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships offers full tuition and a contribution towards living expenses for a 24-month master’s programme at TU Delft.

Which opportunities accept applicants from Burkina Faso?

Burkinabè applicants are directly named as eligible for ARES International Training Scholarships – Belgium Study Funding, UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme and UNU-MERIT Migration Management Diploma Training Programme. Other programmes accept all African countries, all nationalities or applicants from developing countries, but those wider eligibility rules do not remove academic, professional or language conditions.

ARES International Training Scholarships – Belgium Study Funding suits applicants seeking undergraduate, master’s or professional training in business, law, health, economics, information technology, arts, environment and climate. It requires at least two years of experience. You must complete the application in the language used for the training and show good written and spoken knowledge of that language. Basic French can help with daily life in Belgium, but the course language remains the relevant standard.

UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme suits master’s and PhD researchers in education, environment, computer science, public policy, social sciences and entrepreneurship. Burkina Faso appears on its eligible-country list. IELTS is not required, but you must show sufficient reading and writing ability in the language used for instruction or supervision at the proposed host institution in Japan.

UNU-MERIT Migration Management Diploma Training Programme matters to professionals because Burkina Faso is included among its eligible countries and the scholarship covers the full cost of training, including flights, accommodation, visa fees, meals, daily expenses, health insurance and field trips. The programme is hosted in the Netherlands, lasts three months and accepts professionals from any field.

Which fully funded scholarships suit Burkinabè students and professionals?

Funding descriptions are not interchangeable. A programme may cover tuition while leaving you responsible for housing, food, insurance or transport. Treat each funding section as a list of covered costs rather than assuming that every scholarship pays every expense.

Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship is a strong option for African applicants seeking a master’s degree in the Netherlands because it covers tuition, travel, living allowance, visa costs and health insurance for 24 months. You must complete an application for an eligible MSc programme and meet the English language requirements before 1 December 2026.

TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships matters if you are targeting an English-taught master’s at Netherlands. It covers the full tuition fee under the applicable statutory or institutional rate and contributes to living expenses. You must upload an English language certificate. Two awards are listed, so an incomplete language document can weaken an otherwise suitable application.

For health and medicine researchers, Mastercard Foundation PhD Scholarship at University of Toronto and Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship are relevant because both offer full support for tuition, travel, housing, food, books and other expenses for the duration of the professional programme. Both are open to applicants from all African countries and are hosted in Canada. The stated level is PhD, and each lists seven awards.

Leading Russian Universities Open Doors Scholarship has a different funding profile. It accepts applications at undergraduate, master’s, PhD and postdoctoral levels across fields including engineering, health, information technology, education and environment. It covers tuition and provides a monthly stipend, but you must pay for transport, food, accommodation, communication services and medical insurance.

What language evidence do Burkinabè applicants need?

Language rules differ by programme. Do not replace a required certificate with a general claim that you studied in English or French unless the official instructions allow it.

The ARES application must be completed in the language in which the training is delivered, with evidence of good written and spoken ability. APNI African Plant Nutrition Outreach Fellowship Competition accepts application materials in either English or French. That makes it relevant to Burkinabè scientists, extension specialists and educators working on plant nutrition in African agricultural systems.

Several professional programmes require English. UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowship requires the ability to speak, read and write English because English is the working language of the programme. CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity requires applicants to speak English and currently reside in an African country. Chicago Booth Journalists in Residence Program Fellowship asks for proficient English and some years of journalism experience, while CIFAR Global Scholars Program: PhD Research Scholarship requires fluent spoken and written English.

Some opportunities do not state IELTS as a condition. UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme specifically says IELTS is not required, but it still requires proficiency in the host institution’s language of instruction or supervision. Universities connected with Leading Russian Universities Open Doors Scholarship may offer programmes in Russian or English, depending on the institution, so check the selected programme rather than relying on the host country alone.

What documents should Burkinabè applicants prepare first?

Prepare documents that can be adapted across applications. These include academic records, proof of experience where required, a current CV, a focused statement and language evidence. The available programme details do not provide a complete document list for every opportunity, so check the official page before submitting.

Your statement should connect your proposed study, research or professional work to the programme’s field. For UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowship, make your work with an African biosphere reserve and your land-restoration experience easy to identify. The fellowship requires at least one year of experience and has a maximum age of 40, so both points should appear clearly rather than being left for the reviewer to infer.

Research applicants need a defined project. UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme supports an approved research stay in Japan, so your proposal should explain what you will investigate, why the proposed host supervision fits and which costs the grant would support. The grant does not cover tuition, computers, publication costs or conferences unless conference participation is directly justified as part of the research.

Professional applicants should document experience precisely. CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity requires at least three years of experience, while ARES International Training Scholarships – Belgium Study Funding requires at least two years. A CV that lists job titles without dates, duties or relevant outputs may make it difficult for a committee to verify eligibility.

References need planning. MS International Federation McDonald Fellowship Opportunity requires the online form, reference letters and a supporting statement from the host by 1 December 2026. Contact referees and hosts early, send them your CV and statement, and confirm that each person knows the closing time.

How should applicants manage deadlines and time zones?

The deadlines use different time zones. Use the stated time zone, not the clock on your phone if it is set differently. Submit before the final hour because uploads, payment systems or weak internet access can delay completion.

CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity closes at 12:00 WAT on 10 September 2026. ERA Cambridge AI Fellowship Opportunity for Professionals closes at 23:59 Anywhere on Earth on 13 September 2026. Medical Research Council Early Independence Fellowship closes at 16:00 UK time on 15 September 2026, while Tara For Women Competition Opportunity: Tara’s Circle closes at 12:00 CEST on 17 September 2026.

Later deadlines include 18 September for The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship and ARES International Training Scholarships – Belgium Study Funding, 20 September for Chicago Booth Journalists in Residence Program Fellowship, 21 September for APNI African Plant Nutrition Outreach Fellowship Competition, and 30 September for UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme and FrieslandCampina Global Traineeship Internship Opportunity. October deadlines include 1 October for several programmes, 2 October for World Bank GovTech AI Training Programme, and 1 October at 17:00 GMT-7 for Getty Conservation Institute Fellowship Opportunity. November and December options include Leading Russian Universities Open Doors Scholarship, CIFAR Global Scholars Program: PhD Research Scholarship, ICANN Fellowship Program: Travel-Supported Opportunity, Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship, MS International Federation McDonald Fellowship Opportunity and TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships. Confirm the exact closing time on the official page.

Currency also requires care. Funding figures are listed in pounds, euros, US dollars or Canadian dollars, and awards may be paid as stipends, reimbursements or in-kind support. Do not treat a conversion into CFA francs as a guaranteed final value because exchange rates and payment arrangements can change.

Which programmes fit different career stages and fields?

Undergraduate applicants can consider ARES International Training Scholarships – Belgium Study Funding, FrieslandCampina Global Traineeship Internship Opportunity and Leading Russian Universities Open Doors Scholarship, subject to each programme’s course and eligibility rules. FrieslandCampina Global Traineeship Internship Opportunity is an undergraduate traineeship in business, information technology or economics, hosted in the Netherlands or Malaysia, with fluent English required for all disciplines. Its stated duration is 36 months.

Master’s applicants can find options in environment, technology, health, public policy and social sciences. Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship is relevant to African applicants who can meet the English requirement and apply to an eligible MSc programme. UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme can suit a research-focused master’s applicant, but its grant supports approved research-stay costs rather than tuition.

PhD and postdoctoral researchers can examine The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship, University of Bayreuth Humboldt Centre Grant Opportunity, CIFAR Global Scholars Program: PhD Research Scholarship, Mastercard Foundation PhD Scholarship at University of Toronto and Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship. The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship is a two-year, in-residence social sciences programme in United States with an annual stipend of USD 80,000 and annual research support of USD 6,000. University of Bayreuth Humboldt Centre Grant Opportunity is a PhD starter grant in Germany worth EUR 10,000 in total for project-realisation costs. Grantees accompanied by at least one child receive an additional monthly family allowance of EUR 250.

Applicants working in agriculture should examine APNI African Plant Nutrition Outreach Fellowship Competition, which offers USD 5,000 awards for African scientists, extension specialists or educators conducting plant-nutrition education, training or communication programmes. Applicants in journalism may consider Chicago Booth Journalists in Residence Program Fellowship, which includes a USD 14,000 stipend for its 12-week programme, economy-class airfare reimbursement, visa and SEVIS fee reimbursement, and health insurance through the host institution’s plan.

What mistakes can cause an application to fail?

The first mistake is applying because a programme is open to Africans without checking the level or field. A professional fellowship is not automatically suitable for a student, and a health scholarship does not fit a proposal outside health and medicine.

The second is treating funding labels as interchangeable. World Bank GovTech AI Training Programme covers international travel and accommodation for two selected team members, but the stated facts do not say that tuition, food or personal expenses are covered. ICANN Fellowship Program: Travel-Supported Opportunity provides travel assistance to attend a meeting, not a full degree scholarship.

The third is ignoring a host requirement. MS International Federation McDonald Fellowship Opportunity requires a supporting statement from the host, while several research opportunities depend on a proposed host institution or supervisor. Contacting a host after completing the form may leave a required document missing.

The fourth is submitting an incomplete file. For The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship, letters of recommendation have a later stated deadline than the other materials, but they must still arrive by the specified closing time. For Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship, the master’s application must be complete before the scholarship deadline, and the English requirement must already be met.

FAQ: What do Burkinabè applicants ask about international funding?

Can applicants from Burkina Faso apply for ARES scholarships?

Yes. Burkina Faso is listed among the eligible countries for ARES International Training Scholarships – Belgium Study Funding. The programme covers different costs depending on the study route, so check the official page for the selected training and prepare evidence of at least two years of experience.

Which scholarship in Japan does not require IELTS?

UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme states that IELTS is not required. You must still show sufficient reading and writing proficiency in the language used for instruction or supervision at the proposed Japanese host institution.

Are there fully funded opportunities for African women in cybersecurity?

Yes. CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity is fully funded for tuition and provides a training and certification pathway without tuition payment by fellows. Applicants must be African women who speak English, reside in an African country and have at least three years of experience.

Which scholarships cover tuition and living costs in the Netherlands?

Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship covers tuition, travel, living allowance, visa costs and health insurance for 24 months. TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships covers full tuition at TU Delft and contributes to living expenses, but it also requires an English language certificate.

Can a Burkinabè professional apply for a fully funded programme in Iceland?

Yes, if the conditions fit. UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowship is open to professionals from all African countries, requires at least one year of experience and English communication ability, and covers tuition, academic expenses, travel, health insurance and living costs during six months in Iceland.

What should you do next?

Select programmes that match your level, field and language evidence before drafting applications. Create a deadline sheet with the closing date, official time zone, required referee or host documents, funding limits and submission status.

Prepare one accurate CV, then adapt each statement to the programme. Ask referees and proposed hosts early, translate or certify documents only when the official instructions require it, and check whether the application must be in English, French or another language. Review the official page immediately before submission because requirements, document rules and deadline instructions can change.